Misdiagnosed

Yes, you read that title right. I just got word from my Rheumatologist and Dermatologist that I was misdiagnosed! (This is a good thing) Let me backtrack for a minute...

I was diagnosed four years ago with Behcet's by my OB-Gyn and a Dermatologist, that diagnosis was confirmed by my first Rheumatologist. I was put on Hydroxychloroquine pills twice a day. Due to insurance changes, I had to change Rheumys. My 2nd Rheumy didn't even question the fact that I had Behcet's, just told me to keep doing what I was doing because it seemed to be working. Then, about six months ago I began having flare's...every month. Rashes on my skin, ulcers all over, you know the drill. After getting fed up that I couldn't get an appointment with my Rheumy, I scheduled an appointment with a new Rheumy - Dr. Tan at the UT Med Center in Houston (he's amazing btw). By the time he saw me I was between flares, but I told him my history and he added Colcrys to my Hydroxycholoroquine. Colcrys is a gout med that is supposed to also help decrease the severity of ulcers (skin and mouth). He also took me off Prednisone and gave me Methylprednisolone because I told him I felt the Prednisone never helped.

Then last month, May, I had my 4th or 5th flare in 6 months. I called Dr. Tan and he got me in immediately (this was the first time he was going to see one of my flares). At the appointment he made it very clear that the rash on my skin was unlike any rash he had seen on other Behcet's patients, and thus he wanted me to go see a Dermatologist he worked with (also in the UT Med Center). Unlike the other Rheumy's who were pushing me to start Imuran any time I would have a flare, Dr. Tan wanted to double check the diagnosis (with the help of the Dermatologist) to make sure that I did in fact have Behcet's. Thank goodness he did, because what I have been living with for almost six years has turned out not to be Behcet's, but Erythema Multiforme.

The Anti-Inflammation Diet Book Reviews

As mentioned previously, I decided to change my diet and so began the Anti-Inflammation Diet. Upon doing some research, I quickly learned this diet is not a "eat this, not that" diet, it's not a points diet, and it's not a calorie counting diet. It's not really diet at all, but instead a complete lifestyle change. With a little more research I came across two books that I felt confident would help me understand the Anti-Inflammation Diet. Those books were "The Comlete Idiot's Guide to The Anti-Inflammation Diet" written by Christopher P. Cannon, M.D. and Elizabeth Vierck, and "The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book" written by Jessica K. Black, N.D. I felt it was very important to get a book by both an M.D. and a N.D., as both have studied different aspects of the medical field. Besides, if they both said the same things in their book, the information must be true!

As promised, I told you I would review these books so you would have a better idea of which better suited your lifestyle. 

Journey to the Diagnosis

I have always been incredibly healthy. The few times I did get sick was when I was in college, and both times I had the flu.

Flash forward through college, to 2007. I was 24, and not much had changed. I still worked out every day, I had a few beers here and there, just a typical 20-something, but I was probably the healthiest I'd been since high school!
So in July when my lips 'broke out', for lack of a better word, I just assumed I was having an allergic reaction to a new lip product. I took a few Benadryl and Advil (for the pain) , drank a lot of smoothies (because I couldn't eat normal food) and spent some time convincing my boyfriend that no, my lips weren't melting off (although that is exactly what it looked like).
Within about two weeks my lips cleared up and I went about my normal business...

Until right before Thanksgiving of the same year, 2007.